Ninth Inning Rally Comes up Short in 3-2 Loss
Published on May 9, 2026 under California League (CalL)
Stockton Ports News Release
VISALIA, Calif. - The Rawhide kept the Ports bats quiet until the ninth on Saturday night, as Stockton's comeback came up a run short in a 3-2 loss. The defeat gave Vasalia a 3-2 series lead with the Ports looking to earn a split in the series finale on Sunday afternoon.
The Rawhide (11-21) got on the board in the first inning after JD Dix earned a walk and eventually came in on a wild pitch, but Luis Burgos settled in after that in his first start with the Ports (15-17). He would allow just the one run in 3.2 innings on two walks and two hits with one strikeout.
Stockton put a pair on base in the second inning when Gavin Turley and Logan Sauve worked full count walks. Visalia starter Wilken Paredes induced two comebackers, however, to strand both runners. They stranded two more in the fifth after singles from Cesar Gonzalez and Bobby Blandford, but the Rawhide got out of it with a fly ball to right.
Visalia plated two in the sixth for the first runs reliever Bryan Restituyo has allowed since April 11 in Fresno. A leadoff double and a single were followed by a walk and a two-RBI base hit right up the middle to increase the Rawhide's lead to 3-0.
A one-out single for Sauve in the ninth was followed by a two-run bomb (2) 420 feet to left center for Edgar Montero off reliever Alexis Liebano to cut it to a 3-2 deficit. Lefty Grayson Hitt entered and allowed a single to Gonzalez and a double (4) into the right field corner by Myles Naylor to put runners at second and third with just one out.
Michael Brooks came in to pinch run for Gonzalez before Naylor's double and started to take off for home on a ball in the dirt with Blandford at the plate. The Ports would be bitten by the minimal four territory at Valley Strong Ballpark, as the ball bounced off the short backstop and came back to catcher Carlos Virahonda. Brooks put on the brakes and retreated to third base, but Naylor was more than halfway to third from second and was tagged out in a rundown for the second out. Blandford worked a full count but would strikeout out looking on a slider that dropped into the top of the zone to end the game.
UP NEXT: The series finale is set for a 2:05 PM first pitch with RHP Jesus Escobar (0-2, 5.65) getting the start for Visalia versus RHP Donny Troconis (0-1, 7.11) for Stockton.
Single game tickets, mini plans, and group outings are all on sale for the 2026 season. For more information, call the Ports front office at 209-644-1400 or email at info@stocktonports.com.
California League Stories from May 9, 2026
- Tower Buzzers Outslug Quakes on Saturday Night - Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
- Ninth Inning Rally Comes up Short in 3-2 Loss - Stockton Ports
- Sir Loins' Pitching Holds off Ports for Series Lead - Visalia Rawhide
- Jimenez, Offense Set Tone as Grizzlies Fend off Giant Comeback Attempt - Fresno Grizzlies
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